Jarred Soles isn't a news junkie, so he's only half-kidding when he says he didn't know the difference between Israel and Palestine. That lack of familiarity proved to be an advantage during his four-month professional basketball stint last year in Bethlehem, a Palestinian city on the Israeli border. "I'm glad I didn't go over there with any preconceptions," said Soles, a former York High player who coaches the Falcons' boys junior-varsity team. "The people in Bethlehem and Palestine are the most welcoming people I've ever met in my life."

Saturday's question: Can the Magic beat the Bulls? YES: 7 If they pull themselves together and make it a team effort. ... If they believe they can. ... The Chicago Bulls are not as unbeatable as everybody believes. My Magic will take them down. ... With a little Magic, anything can be done. ... Yes, the Magic will overcome. NO: 9 I love my Shaquille O'Neal, but I think my Dennis Rodman's group is going to win the game. ... They wish they could beat them. ... No way, Shaquille O'Neal is just an overgrown boy. Michael Jordan is a man. Who would you put your money on?

Recapping the week that was, in which the San Diego Padres inched (centimetered is more like it) closer to the pennant, Dennis Rodman found his way into the news again, and Shaquille O'Neal did his duty. DONOVAN MCNABB PROBABLE THIS WEEK The Eagles' quarterback has recovered from a bruised chest and is expected to play against the 49ers today. No word on whether Terrell Owens has recovered from a bruised ego after being schooled by Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall last week.

To listen to the howls of protest aimed at Nike, you would think the little shoe company that got big was precipitating the decline of western civilization and culture. From Charles Barkley to Dennis Hopper to Dennis Rodman, Nike's attempts at humor, sarcasm and satire have continued to rile and infuriate people who should know better. Dennis Rodman threatening Santa Claus is the latest in a series Nike uses to make fun of sports and sports people, and the hold they have on our minds.

Recapping the week that was, in which the San Diego Padres inched (centimetered is more like it) closer to the pennant, Dennis Rodman found his way into the news again, and Shaquille O'Neal did his duty. DONOVAN MCNABB PROBABLE THIS WEEK The Eagles' quarterback has recovered from a bruised chest and is expected to play against the 49ers today. No word on whether Terrell Owens has recovered from a bruised ego after being schooled by Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall last week.

Sandy Lenthall in Williamsburg: Regarding the compromise on the proposed reservoir. There isn't much of a compromise as proposed by the Daily Press. It's that Newport News Waterworks gets their reservoir that eliminates wetlands, eliminates the need for conservation education, conservation codes, reusing water for landscaping, industrial use, raising the cost of water to all consumers, negates the rights of the Mattaponi people, defames their sacred land, uses public money to purchase private land without the affirmation of the people, and most recently causes one to wonder about the wisdom of building a reservoir which has the potential of flooding.

The Daily Press scopes out news, notes and fun stuff about sports: Imagine the looks you would have gotten 20 years ago, said Terry Foster in the Detroit News, "If you had predicted that in 2002, the NBA's first draft pick would be from China, a black man would be the world's greatest golfer, the American League's top hitter would be from Japan, and the NHL's leading scorer would be black." [In order, they are Yao Ming, Tiger Woods, Ichiro Suzuki and Jarome Iginla.] GOOD REASON After playing nine innings Wednesday in 1 hour, 41 minutes - the fastest nine-inning game in the major leagues since 1984 - winning pitcher Jose Lima of Detroit said, "I think the home-plate umpire might have had a date tonight, because he had a big (strike)

These days, Pete Rose should not be much more worthy of prime time than Dennis Rodman and the other camera hounds on the latest "Celebrity Mole" hunt. But there he'll be on ABC Thursday night, making a confession that's about as anticlimactic as Phil Niekro admitting he sometimes put Vaseline on the ball. In the story that never seems to end, the latest twist is that Rose admits he bet on baseball. This contradicts his position over the last 14 years, but who believed him anyway?

Dennis Rodman has, with his offensive behavior, done what no one seems able to do with athletic performance: take the spotlight in basketball away from the great Michael Jordan. Rodman, by kicking a cameraman, did to basketball what Baltimore Orioles player Roberto Alomar did briefly to baseball by spitting on an umpire: spoil it. The sports, fortunately, are better than the people who play them and therefore will survive the multiple transgressions of athletes and team owners.

All together now, let's unload. Say it loud, say it proud. "You bums and ingrates! You disgraced your sport and country! Matador defense and half-hearted effort? At the Olympics? The Commies cheated us in '72, and our college kids weren't good enough in '88, but this is unacceptable. So carry your sorry fannies back to the cruise ship, quit with the Ouzo parties and engage in some serious attitude adjustment, lest you embarrass yourselves -- and us -- further." Feel better?

These days, Pete Rose should not be much more worthy of prime time than Dennis Rodman and the other camera hounds on the latest "Celebrity Mole" hunt. But there he'll be on ABC Thursday night, making a confession that's about as anticlimactic as Phil Niekro admitting he sometimes put Vaseline on the ball. In the story that never seems to end, the latest twist is that Rose admits he bet on baseball. This contradicts his position over the last 14 years, but who believed him anyway?

We should not jump to conclusions about the Kobe Bryant case. There's a lot we do not know about what went on in a Colorado hotel room between the Los Angeles Lakers star and the 19-year-old woman who has accused him of sexually assaulting her. But here's what I have learned after a visit to the nerve center of my neighborhood's intelligence apparatus, the barbershop: 1. Bryant confessed in a news conference to committing the sin of adultery...

There'll be a police alert on June 14 at Newport Beach, Calif., where Dennis Rodman and Michelle Moyer will exchange vows. Again. They were married Tuesday in a private ceremony. Presumably, their two children were there. The gig on the 14th will be on the beach just outside his place, and the cops know the way, having visited Rodman about 70 times over the past couple of years because he tends to have a lot of loud parties. "Everybody's invited," Rodman says, and you know the police like to hear that.

The Daily Press scopes out news, notes and fun stuff about sports: Imagine the looks you would have gotten 20 years ago, said Terry Foster in the Detroit News, "If you had predicted that in 2002, the NBA's first draft pick would be from China, a black man would be the world's greatest golfer, the American League's top hitter would be from Japan, and the NHL's leading scorer would be black." [In order, they are Yao Ming, Tiger Woods, Ichiro Suzuki and Jarome Iginla.] GOOD REASON After playing nine innings Wednesday in 1 hour, 41 minutes - the fastest nine-inning game in the major leagues since 1984 - winning pitcher Jose Lima of Detroit said, "I think the home-plate umpire might have had a date tonight, because he had a big (strike)

The Daily Press scopes out news, notes and fun stuff in sports: It passed without particular notice outside of Seattle, which was as it probably should have been. "The Wave" turned 20 years old on Saturday. Some look at it as a black day in sports history. Robb Weller, then a returning cheerleader at the University of Washington, later -- predictably enough -- a personality on one of those TV-looks-at-Hollywood shows that are lighter than popcorn, led the Huskies' crowd in "The Wave" on Saturday, just as he did two decades ago. That time, 20 years ago, the wave apparently came in the third quarter and Washington scored 28 consecutive points en route to a 42-31 win over John Elway and Stanford.

The NBA season begins a week from today with myriad story lines. Will Shaq's new album go platinum? Is O.J. going to interrupt the Finals again? Will Reggie Miller star in Spike Lee's next movie? We'll have to wait for the answers. But with the marathon season yet to tip off, the leading candidate for MVP is clear. Herb Kohl. Kohl is the senior senator from Wisconsin. He's slow and balding, and you could take him off the dribble. Kohl also owns the Milwaukee Bucks, and he is steadfastly refusing to guarantee top draft choice Glenn Robinson $100 million over 13 years.

The Daily Press scopes out news, notes and fun stuff about sports: Staffer Norm Wood writes from Blacksburg about the lollipop that might have made a sucker out of Virginia Tech. It seems that three days after Billy Hite, Virginia Tech's assistant head coach and running backs coach, noticed Syracuse place-kicker Collin Barber was placing a lollipop on the field before his field goal attempts in Syracuse's 22-14 upset of the Hokies, speculation about the candy was still an issue.

The Daily Press scopes out news, notes and fun stuff in sports: Kevin Swayne has to be a walking example of hyperactivity, which is why he was busy Saturday afternoon running after the New York Jets' 90- minute workout. Swayne, a 26-year-old receiver, played for Orlando of the late, unlamented XFL, then went to Arena Football, playing for the New York Dragons. Two days after they lost in a Friday-night playoff, he signed a training-camp contract with the Jets. In all, he has played 28 games this year and his fondest hope is that No. 29 comes in the NFL. POLICE LOG The Orange County Register reports that Dennis Rodman was cited Friday for driving his boat at 20 mph in a 5 mph zone in Newport Harbor in California.